Mechanism for operating an elevator hatch door and interlock



May 8, 1962 w. BECK ETAL MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AN ELEVATOR HATCH DOORAND INTERLOCK S Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1956 INVENTO 5. Walter fieBy Clo/m flallena,

IN VEN TORS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AN ELEVATOR HATCH DOOR ANDINTERLOCK Filed Oct. 25, 1956 May 8, 1962 ZZ/dlfer Bee/0, BY Qcm/ffizllen I W y 1962 w. BECK ETAL 3,033,317

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AN ELEVATOR HATCH DOOR AND INTERLOCK Filed Oct.25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Ofifice 3,033,317Patented May 8, 1962 MECHANISM FGR OPERA'HNG AN ELEVATGR HATCH DQQR ANDHNTERLOCK Walter Beck and Alan Hallene, Moiine, 11., assignors, by

mesne assignments, to Montgomery Elevator Company, a corporation ofDelaware Filed (Pct. 25, 1956, Ser. No. 613,326

6 Claims. (Cl. 137-52) This invention relates to an improved mechanismfor operating an elevator hatch door and interlock.

Modern elevator mechanism have a sliding door on the elevator car and aseparate sliding door on the hatch at each floor landing, and the hatchdoor is provided with an interlock. The interlock on the hatch doorincludes an electric switch which is in the elevator operating controlcircuit, so that when the interlock is disengaged and the hatchway dooris unlocked, the switch is open and the elevator cannot be started.

The elevator car carries a door operating mechanism for opening thesliding door on the car, and the present invention is directed to anelectromagnetic clutch mechanism by means of which the interlock isdisengaged and the hatch door is opened or closed with the elevator cardoor.

Thus, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a verysimple, positively operating clutch mechanism which not only operatesthe hatch door in conjunction with the car door but also disengages thehatch door interlock at the beginning of an openin operation to unlockthe hatch door and break the operating circuit, and re-engages it as adoor closing operation finishes to lock the door and close the circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism whichmay be readily adapted to the modernization of existing equipmentalready in service.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a device in whichthe clutching of the hatch door to the car door is eifectuated by meanswhich may be controlled through an electric circuit, so that the entireoperation may be readily coordinated through electric controls with theoperation of the elevator car and the leveling of the car at a givenfloor landing.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an elevator car door andhatch door as viewed from the elevator car, with parts of the car doorbroken away;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary broken elevational view on an enlarged scale ofthe interlock mechanism and its operating linkage, the parts being shownin full lines in the engaged position of the interlock and in brokenlines in a position which the parts occupy with the hatch door partlyopen;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 with the interlock engaged;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the interlock disengaged;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 55 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 66 ofFIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, an elevator hatchway isprovided with a doorway 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) which is formed in a wall10a and has a frame 11 including an upper metal frame member 12. Mountedon the upper frame member 12 upon brackets 13 is a track 14 to receive apair of door hanger carriages, indicated generally at 15 and 15a, whichare connected at their upper ends by a bar 16. As best seen in FIGS. 2and 3, each of the door carriages includes a front frame plate 17 in theupper portion of which is journalled a grooved carrier roller 18 whichrides on an arcuate top the carriages 15 provide mountings for hangerbolts 21- upon which is suspended a door 22. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2,the door 22 has a safety edge 23 of resilient material which abuts thedoor frame 11 when the door is closed.

An elevator car, a portion of which is shown fragmentarily as 24 in FIG.1, is provided with a conventional sliding door 25, which has aresilient safety edge 26 abutting the wall of the elevator car 24 whenthe door is closed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, an interlock mechanism,indicated generally at 27, is provided for the hatch door 22. Theinterlock mechanism has a fixed portion secured to an angle bracket 28on the track 14 above that portion of the door frame 11 against whichthe safety edge 23 of the hatch door 22 abuts when the door is closed.Surmounting the bracket 28 is a supporting frame 28a for a fixedinterlock lug 29 alongside of which is a fixed switch block 30 having aninclined forward face 31 on which is mounted a fixed electric switchcontact 32. The interlock mechanism 27 also has movable portions whichinclude an interlock arm 33 pivotally mounted on a stud 34 on the doorcarriage 15. The interlock arm 33 is provided at its forward end with adepending hook-like nose 35 whichis adapted to engagebehind the latchlug 2% as seen in FIG. 2, while on the arm 33 adjacent the nose 35 is aswitch block 36 having an inclined face 37 which is complementary to theinclined face 31 of the fixed switch block 30. On said inclined face 37is a spring loaded switch contact 38 which is so positioned that whenthe interlock arm swings about pivot 34 the contact 38 slides across thefixed switch contact 32 which tends to keep the contact clean andprevent burning.

The'operating mechanism for opening and closing the hatch door 22 andfor moving the interlock arm 33 so as to unhook the arm and open orclose the contacts 32 and 38 includes an electromagnetic clutchmechanism indicated generally at 39 which is mounted on the car door 25,and a hatch door and interlock operating mechanism indicated generallyat 40 which is mounted on the hatch pair of rubber clutch members 43which are provided with aligned central recesses 44. Between the rubberclutch members 43 is a pair of vertically spaced electromagnets,indicated generally at 45, the pole pieces of which have spaced flanges46 which project forward of the clutch members 43 flanking a linethrough the recesses 44 of said members.

The batch door and interlock operating mechanism 40 includes ahorizontal channel bracket 47 on the inside of the hatch door 22 whichis mounted for lateral adjustment by a screw and slot connectionindicated at 48. The parallel horizontal flanges 47a of the channelbracket 47 afford mountings for an upright pivot pin 49 on which aclutch arm is pivotally mounted. At the free end of the clutch arm 5tdirectly aligned with the recesses 44 in the rubber clutch members 43,is an upright ferrous metal clutch piece 51 which is adapted tobe'a'ttraoted by the electromagnets 45 when the latter are energized. Asbest seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the clutch arm 50 is provided with a setscrew 52 which may abut against a stop member 53 on the channel bracket47 to permit adjustment of the normal angular disposition of the arm 50with respect to U the hatch door 22 and of the space between the clutchpiece 51 and the elcctromagnets 45; and a projecting portion of the arm50 on the opposite side of pivot 49 from the clutch piece 51 has a stud54 to guide a compression spring 55 which serves normally to urge thearm 50 to the inactive position seen in FIG. 5. A stud 56 on thebrackets 47 serves as a guide for the other end of spring 55.

Extending transversely on the hatch door 22 from the lower flange 47a ofthe channel bracket 47 is an angle member 57 which, adjacent the marginof the hatch door 22, is provided with a bushing 58 to receive anaxially sildable and pivotable upright interlock operating rod 59 theupper end of which is adjustably secured to the interlock arm 33immediately forward of its pivot 34. Adjacent the bushing 58 on theinterlock rod 59 is a clamp 60 in which is a pivot 61 to receive one endof an inclined interlock operating link 62 the other end of which isadjustably secured to a bracket 63 on the clutch arm 50 adjacent theferrous clutch piece 51. As seen in FIG.

5, when the clutch piece 51 is in its normal position, the

interlock actuating link 62 is substantially parallel to the face of thehatch door 22 and, upon actuation of the electromagnet 45 on the cardoor 25, the movement of the ferrous metal clutch piece 51 swings thearm 50 outwardly on its vertical pivot 49 which pulls the adjacent endof the interlock operating link 62 away from the door, thus axiallyrotating interlock rod 59. The inclined position of link 62 causes thismovement to elevate interlock rod 59 so as to move the interlock arm 33about its pivot '34- and unhook it from the latch lug 29, at the sametime opening the switch contacts 32 and 38.

Preferably the clutch piece 51 consists of a ferrous metal pipe in theends of which are wooden end pieces 51a, so that both ends of the clutchpiece are positioned in front of the rubber clutch members 43 before theelectromagnets act on the clutch piece. This prevents any directengagement of the clutch piece with the electromagnets, which couldcause clattering or slamming.

The operation of the device is believed to be clear from the foregoingdetailed description. The elevator car 24 is provided with conventionaldriving means and a conventional control system for the driving meanswhich may be either manually operated from the elevator car orautomatically by push button. The operating mechanism and its controlmeans cooperate in the usual manner to move the elevator car up and downthe hatchway as desired, and to stop the elevator car at a floor landingwhich is provided with a hatch door such as hatch door 22. Mounted ontop of the elevator car 24 and suitably linked to the car door 25 is adoor operating mechanism (not shown) including a separate operatingmotor by means of which the car door 25 may be moved between its closedposition as seen in FIG. 1 and an open position. The car door operatingmechanism is of conventional design and, accordingly, is not shown; andit is wired into the control circuits for the elevator driving means ina conventional way by which it is assured that the elevator car doorwill only start to open when the car is stationary at a floor, or nearlyso.

Immediately upon stopping of the car at a floor or at a predeterminedtime in the car leveling operation, the electromagnets 45 are energizedto pull the ferrous metal clutch piece 51 from the normal position ofFIG. to the engaged position of FIG. 6. The movement of the clutch piecearm 50, acting through the interlock operating link 62 and operating rod59, disengages the interlock arm 33 to unlock the hatch door and breakthe elevator operating circuit, so that the hatch door is free to moveto the left along with the car door and substantially simulta neouslythe door operating motor on top of the elevator car is energized toslide the car door 25 and hatch door 22 to the left, as seen in FIGS. 5and 6. When the car door returns to its closed position, it carries thehatch door 22 along with it, and upon completion of the door closingmovement, the electromagnets 45 are de-energized so as to release theclutch piece 51 and permit the compression spring 55 to return theclutch piece arm 59 and the interlock actuating linkage 6259 to thenormal positions of FIG. 5, which returns the interlock arm 33 to itsengaged position, as seen in FIG. 2 and 3, and closes the interlockswitch contacts 32 and 38, thus locking the hatch door 22 and closingthe operating circuit. The switch contacts 32 and 33 are in the maincontrol circuit for the elevator driving mechanism, so that as long asthe contacts 32 and 38 are open it is not possible to operate theelevator car.

Whether the energization of the electromagnets 45 occurs when the car isabsolutely stationary, or during the last of a leveling operation, isimmaterial to the functioning of the operating mechanism of the presentinvention.

The present device is especially advantageous where an existing elevatormechanism is being modernized by the substitution of an automatic hatchdoor operation for a manual one; because the hatch door tracks often arenot parallel to the car door tracks, and the device here disclosed andclaimed operates satisfactorily in spite of such inaccuracies.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled inthe art.

We claim:

1. In an elevator system having a hatchway with a wall, an elevator carmounted for movement in the hatchway, a sliding car door on said car,means for controlling the movement of said car, and door operating meanson the car operable as the car stops at a floor landing, hatch doormechanism at said floor landing comprising: a slidably mounted hatchdoor; a movable interlock member on the hatch door releasably engageablewith a fixed interlock member on the hatchway wall; electromagneticclutch means on the car door energizable upon stopping of the car at thefloor landing, said clutch means including a rubber clutch member with arecess facing the hatch door; an upright ferrous metal clutch piecemovably mounted on the hatch door in front of said recess to be drawnmagnetically into clutching engagement with said clutch member uponencrgization of the electro-rnagnet to releasably secure the doorstogether before there is any movement of the car door; and .an interlockactuating linkage connecting said clutch piece to the movable interlockmember to disengage said member as the clutch piece is drawn intoclutching engagement.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the clutch piece is provided with endportions of non-magnetic material.

3. In an elevator system having a hatchway with a wall, an elevator carmounted for movement in the hatchway, a sliding car door on said car,means for controlling the movement of said car, and door operating meanson the car operable as the car stops at a floor landing, hatch doormechanism at said floor landing comprising: a slidably mounted hatchdoor; a movable interlock member on the hatch door releasably engageablewith a fixed interlock member on the hatchway wall; electromagneticclutch means on the car door energizable upon stopping of the car at thefloor landing; a clutch arm mounted on an upright pivot on the hatchdoor; means for adjusting the minimum angle of said arm with respect tothe hatch door; spring means urging said arm toward said minimum angle;a ferrous metal clutch piece on said arm in front of the clutch meansand movable into engagement therewith by swinging of the arm on itspivot upon energization of the electro-magnet; a vertically movableoperating rod on the hatch door which is operatively connected with themovable interlock member; and an operating link connecting said rod tothe clutch arm so that movement of the clutch piece into engagement withthe clutch means lifts said rod to unlock said interlock member.

4. In an elevator system having a hatchway with a wall, an elevator carmounted for movement in the hatchway, a sliding car door on said doorcar, means for controlling the movement of said car, and door operatingmeans on the car operable as the car stops at a floor landing, hatchdoor mechanism at said floor landing comprising: a slidably mountedhatch door; a movable interlock member on the hatch door releasablyengageable with a fixed interlock member on the hatchway wall;electro-magnetic clutch means on the car door energizable upon stoppingof the car at the floor landing, said clutch means including a pair ofvertically spaced rubber clutch members having vertically alignedrecesses facing the hatch door; a clutch arm mounted on an upright pivoton the hatch door; means for adjusting the minimum angle of said armwith respect to the hatch door; spring means urging said arm toward saidminimum angle; an upright ferrous metal clutch piece on said arm infront of said recesses and movable into clutching engagement with therubber clutch members by swinging of the arm on its pivot uponenergization of the electromagnet; a vertically movable operating rod onthe hatch door which is operatively connected with the movable interlockmember; and an operating link connecting said rod to the clutch arm sothat movement of the clutch piece into engagement with the clutch meanslifts said rod to unlock said interlock member.

5. in an elevator system having a hatchway with a wall, an elevator carmounted for movement in the hatchway, a sliding car door on said car,means for controlling the movement of said car, and door operating meanson the car operable as the car stops at a floor landing, hatch doormechanism at said floor landing comprising: a slidably mounted hatchdoor; a movable interlock member on the hatch door releasably engageablewith a fixed interlock member on the hatchway wall; electro-magneticclutch means on the car door facing the hatch door and energizable uponstopping of the car at the fioor landing; a clutch arm mounted on anupright pivot on the hatch door with its free end opposite the clutchmeans; means for adjusting the minimum angle of said arm with respect tothe hatch door; spring means urging said arm to said minimum angle; aferro'us metal clutch piece on the free end of said arm and confrontingthe clutch means to be drawn magnetically toward the car door intoclutching engagement upon energization of the electromagnet; avertically movable operating rod on the hatch door which is operativelyconnected with the movable interlock member; and an inclined operatinglink connecting the free end of the clutch arm to a point on said rodwhich is vertically displaced from said arm so that movement of theclutch arm on its vertical pivot as the clutch piece moves intoclutching engagement with the clutch means lifts said rod to disengagesaid interlock member.

6. In an elevator system having a hatchway with a wall, an elevator carmounted for movement in the hatchway, a sliding car door on said car,means for controlling the movement of said car, and door operating meanson the car operable as the car stops at a floor landing, hatch doormechanism at said floor landing comprising: a slidably mounted hatchdoor; a movable interlock member on the hatch door releasably engageablewith a fixed interlock member on the hatchway wall; electro-magneticclutch means on the car door energizable upon stopping of the car at thefloor landing; a clutch arm mounted on an upright pivot on the hatchdoor; means for adjusting the minimum angle of said arm with respect tothe hatch door; spring means urging said arm toward said minimum angle;a ferrous metal clutch piece on said arm in front of the clutch meansand movable into engagement therewith by swinging of the arm on itspivot upon energization of the electro-magnet; and an interlockactuating linkage connecting said clutch arm to the movable interlockmember to disengage said member as the clutch piece is drawn intoclutching engagement.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,232,903 Dunn a July 10, 1917 2,003,399 Tamsitt June 4, 1935 2,432,293Di Giovanni Dec. 9, 1947 2,899,021 OGrady Aug. 11, 1959

